ADHD: Misunderstood, Misinterpreted and Misdignosed

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly misunderstood condition, especially among teachers and parents. So, to offer a better insight on this condition, one of nation’s leading experts on ADHD, Ned Hallowell, has listed 10 primary misconceptions associated with ADHD.

After comparing the youngest children in a grade to the oldest children in the same grade, researchers discovered that kids born in August were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD and/or receive ADHD medication than their older, September-born counterparts.

While ADHD has long been portrayed as a disorder afflicting hyperactive boys who have trouble sitting still, doctors are learning more about the way it manifests in females — and why so many girls and women with the disorder go undiagnosed.

Nearly 1 million children in the United States are potentially misdiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder simply because they are the youngest - and most immature - in their kindergarten class, according to new research by a Michigan State University economist.

A year ago, psychiatrist Leon Eisenberg, considered to be the “scientific father of ADHD,” was quoted in a last interview before his death as saying that “ADHD is a prime example of a fictitious disease.” His comment certainly has caused an uproar not just among the medical community, but with parents, too. And this is easy to understand given that the number of children diagnosed with ADHD has seen a dramatic increase in recent years.

With the incidence of obesity increasing steadily, much research has been undertaken to try and identify those people who are most likely to become obese so measures can be taken to avoid excessive weight gain, since it is easier to prevent than to reverse. New research indicates that having attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can put an individual at a greater risk of obesity.

There has been an increase of ADHD in girls, found a recent survey. Find out more about how the symptoms of ADHD manifest themselves differently in girls. - Katherine K. Dahlsgaard, Ph.D., Philadelphia Philly.com